village in Michigan
Honey bee forage in Milford, Michigan
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Michigan. Against other Michigan sites it stands out most in fall (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.2 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Milford?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Milford, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on May 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Milford
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.03 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 79% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Milford ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 79th | 76th | 84th |
| Michigan | 68th | 87th | 59th | 93rd |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 30th | 91st | 15th | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Milford: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wixom 6 mi · Wolverine Lake 6 mi · Walled Lake 7 mi · Hartland 9 mi · South Lyon 9 mi · Novi 10 mi
All towns in Michigan · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Milford (42.5885, -83.6016); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.